The ACT Changes This Spring: Here’s What You Need to Know!
The ACT is evolving, and that’s exciting news! While some students may welcome the shorter test time, others might worry about steeper score curves and how colleges will weigh the changes. Maybe this is all brand new to you.
Whatever your case, planning is key and test prep works. Here’s everything you need to know about the new ACT format, schedule, and scoring system to help you plan for a great score.
What’s Changing?
1. A Shorter Test = Less Stress!
The ACT is trimming down by a full third, meaning students will spend less time testing (and doing practice tests). Right now, the exam takes about three hours plus breaks. The new total time will be closer to two hours—a game-changer for many test-takers and especially students with extended time accommodations!
Old time: 195 mins
New time: 125 mins
2. More Time Per Question
The ACT has historically had the reputation of a time-pressured test. The new ACT will not only be shorter, but also give you more time per question.
3. Science Becomes Optional
Currently, the ACT consists of four mandatory sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Under the new format, the Science section will become optional.
The composite score will now be based only on the average of your English, Math, and Reading section scores.
If students choose to take the Science section, they’ll still receive a separate Science score and a STEM score (which combines Science and Math).
This means more flexibility for students who may not need Science for their intended college major!
4. Tweaks to Each Section
Here is the new section format:
English: 50 questions ( ↓ 25) | 35 minutes ( ↓ 10)
Math: 45 questions ( ↓ 25) | 50 minutes ( ↓ 10)(Note: Only 4 answer choices instead of 5!)
Reading: 36 questions ( ↓ 4) | 40 minutes ( ↑ 5)
Science (Optional): 40 questions (same) | 40 minutes ( ↑ 5)
Writing (Optional): 1 essay | 40 minutes (Note: Don’t take the writing portion, it’s a waste of time)
Not only is the ACT shorter, but fewer answer choices per question in Math mean a better chance of getting questions right.
5. When Will These Changes Happen?
Mark your calendars! The rollout happens in two phases:
April 2025 – Online will have the new format; paper tests will remain the same.
September 2025 – All students, both online and paper-based testers, will switch to the new structure.
6. How Will Scoring Work?
The composite score (1-36) will now be based on English, Math, and Reading only.
If you take Science, your Science and STEM scores will be separate.
The Writing section (if taken) remains separate as well. Again, no need to take the writing.
What Does All This Mean?
Certainly these changes makes preparing for the ACT easier, particularly for students with extended time. Practice tests will get shorter, you can skip Science entirely if it’s not your strong suit, and Math will be easier with only 4 options to choose from.
Unfortunately, that means the test will get easier for everyone else too. Therefore, it may be harder to stand out at the very top end of scores, as just happened with the new dSAT format this fall. It’s too soon to know exactly how the score scaling will change, but it does seem likely that the curve will be steeper at the top, meaning each mistake will drop scaled scores more than on the current ACT.
How Can You Prepare?
If you are a junior already taking ACT’s, push hard now to get one last paper exam under the current format. We are happy to help you with your final sprint!
If you are not yet taking the ACT, consider focusing on school work until the summer when more practice tests with the new format will be available and there will be more clarity on score scaling.
Get Expert Help
Test scores are required by the vast majority of universities, and the prep works! Now Test Prep offers expert one-on-one ACT preparation tailored by a team of phenomenal tutors with collective decades of experience.
We are happy to do free consultations with students and parents whether or not you intend to work with us. Just fill out the contact form on our site and someone from the team will reach out to you within 24 hours.
